Castore Secures Equity Investment

Castore, the U.K.-based sportswear brand,  has secured a £145 million ($183.1 million) investment in a funding round led by the Raine Group, the U.S. financial advisory and investment firm.

Reebok Inks Licensing Partner For Sports Equipment

Authentic Brands Group has entered into a long-term licensing agreement with Sakar International to design and distribute Reebok-branded basketball, pickleball, baseball, soccer, and football equipment and electronics, including audio, tech and massage products.

Hanesbrands Gets Debt Ratings Downgrade

Moody’s Investors Service downgraded Hanesbrands, Inc.’s debt ratings to reflect the company’s significant earnings declines through 2023 and Moody’s expectation that leverage and coverage credit metrics will remain weak through the first half of 2024.

Delta Apparel to Sell Fayetteville Factory

Delta Apparel, Inc., in a regulatory filing, said it expects to receive net proceeds of $23 million from the sale and long-term leaseback of its approximately 35-acre campus in Fayetteville, NC. The buyer is RH Dunn, LLC.

EXEC: Academy Sports Sees Weather/Consumer Woes Derailing Sales Recovery

Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. said a slow start to fall selling due to warmer temperatures as well as continued weak consumer demand caused third-quarter results to miss plan, resulting in a downward revision to full-year guidance. CEO Steve Lawrence said on an analysts call, “We feel like we don’t have a challenged strategy. We’ve got a challenged customer.”

Academy Sports Trims Guidance on Q3 Shortfall

The retailer narrowed its full-year guidance to the lower end of prior expectations as third-quarter sales and earnings arrived below expectations. The retailer blamed generally soft consumer spending and warm weather’s impact on fall selling.

EXEC: Foot Locker Finds Progress with Lace-Up Strategy

Shares of Foot Locker, Inc. rose about 16 percent Wednesday after the sneaker juggernaut reported better-than-expected third-quarter results, encouraging sales trends so far in the fourth quarter and what Mary Dillon, president and CEO, hailed as several “early wins” in the company’s Lace Up transformation program.

StretchLab Opens its 400th Location

StretchLab, offering one-on-one assisted stretch, opened its 400th franchise location at StretchLab University Village in Colorado Springs, CO. The milestone comes eight months after the company’s 300th studio opened, opening a location every three days in 2023.